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Tuesday, 28 April 2015

Adamawa Assembly locked for the second week over impeachment attempt on Speaker, Umaru Fintiri

The
Adamawa State House of Assembly stayed shut Monday for the second week
running over attempts to impeach the Speaker, Umaru Fintiri.

The
House, scheduled to sit last week, shifted its plenary to Monday, April
27, following a threat by 11 out of 25 lawmakers to pass a vote of no
confidence on Mr. Fintiri.

Some lawmakers and
staff who showed up for work on Monday were denied entry by policemen
who said there was a directive not to allow anybody in.

A
statement from the 11 lawmakers, signed by their spokesperson, Umar
Abdulkareem, representing Nassarawo/Binyeri, urged the opening of the
House for normal legislative business.

“We,
members of the Adamawa House of Assembly under the leadership of Hon
Jerry Kumdisi wish to categorically state that Adamawa state House of
Assembly complex which is under seal should be unsealed to enable the
house to resume its legislative functions,” the statement read. “By
tradition the chamber is the designated place for legislative business
even though the house can sit in any part of Adamawa state to legislate
for good governance, peace and stability of state. The stalemate in the
house is as a result of leadership high handedness and maladministration
by Ahmadu Umar Fintiri. We therefore urge the good people of Adamawa
state to be calm and remain law-abiding as this stalemate will soon be
resolved.”

When
contacted, Mr. Fintiri, who spoke through his chief press secretary,
Solomon Kumangar, did not give a reason for the closure of the House but
insisted that there was no stalemate.

“The
House of Assembly, as currently, does not wish to join issues with any
one,” Mr. Kumangar said. “It’s also wishes to notify the public not to
be misled by rumours of any stalemate.”